Metal fastening for cross-wires.



No. 709,695. Patented sept. 23, |902; s. BLAKE.

METAL` FASTENING FOR CROSS WIRES.

(Application led Mar. 7, 1902.)

l(No Model.)

Inventar.' A JMA.

' ma Noms Unas co., mormnum wAsHindr'nN, u.

llNiTEn STATES PATENT EEicE.

BYRON S. BLAKE, OF ROCHESTER, NEY YORK.

METAL IFAS'II'ENING FOR CROSS-'"WlRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 709,695, dated September 23, 1902. Application led March '7, 1902. Serial No. 97,201. (No model.)

To all whom. it may con/cern.-

Be it known that I, BYRON` S. BLAKE, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a new and useful lnxprovementin Metal Fasteners for Cross- YVires, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improved means for fastening the string-wire and the stakes in greenhouses, and more particularly to that class of said devices which are composed of spring-wire with a loop near one end and bent at substantially right angles to the body of the wire and having limbs of different lengths, one to engage the stake and the other the string-wire, and the novelty in the present instance resides in the peculiar construction of the fastener, whereby it is adapted to better serve its function.

The invention is hereinafter fully described, and more particularly pointed out in the claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of a stake and a part of the string-wire, showing my improved fastener in place thereon, parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same seen as indicated by arrow 2 in Fig. l, a part of the stake being broken out. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a fastener with string-wire and stake when the latter is set inclined. Fig. 4 is a side view of the parts seen as indicated by arrow in Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively side views of the two forms of fas* teners for straight and inclined stakes. Fig. 7 is a plan of parts seen as indicated by arrow 7 in Fig. 1. Fig. 8, drawn to a small scale, shows the general arrangement of the parts as in use.

Referring to the parts shown, A is the wirestake, usually three and one-half feet, more or less, long, B being the horizontal string wire, and O my improved fastener. This clamp or fastener consists of a single piece or strip of hard elastic wire, preferably steel wire, commonly of No. 18 or 2O gage, having four bends or curves a a a2 CL3, three near one end of the wire and one near the other end, alternated with straight parts, including the long` or major part @constituting the body of the fastener. Thus bent the fastener comprises a loop fro inclose the stake, the plane of the loop being substantially horizontal and normally at right angles with the body l). As shown in the figures, the form of the fastener is such that when put to place on the cross-wires A B the parts l) and c, extending fronl the opposite sides of the loop f, are substantially parallel with the stake and in position to press the wire B at two places, one on each side of the stake, giving to the fastener a double bearing on said wire. The

body b of the fastener extends downward.

from the string-wire, with the rounded end a3 passed back of the stake, the fastener when forced to place upon the wires acting as a lever of the second order to hold the stake and the string-wire rigidly together.

In forming the fastener the part c, which reaches downward and in a direction sub stantially toward the opposite end of the fastener, is bent backward from the vertical plane of the body b, as appears in Fig. 5, forming also an acute angle with the plane of the loop f. This causes the said part c, which on account of its backward bend is in advance of the corresponding part b, to meet in advance and press hard against the wire B when the fastener is forced to place on the Vstake and said wire. When the fastener is in place and acting, the stress on the fastener causes the part c to bend forward into the plane of the body b, as shown in Fig. 2, said body or part b becoming slightly curved or bent, as shown, due to the stress it is subjected to in holding to place on the stake.

The form of the rounded end d3 of the fastener is not ofespecial importance in this invention, it being only necessary .to give it such form as will enable it to readily catch onto the stake and hold permanently to place while the device is doing service.. l, however, prefer to form it as shownthat is to say, with a single bend CL3-the extreme end or terminal e being straight and in the plane of the adjacent or opposite portion of the body b. This form of the fastener causes the part e to extend in a direction slightly across the stake, as appears in Figs. 2 and 4, when the fastener is in place on the Wires, and so enable the fastener to moderately resist displacement.

In practice the ends of the Iwire-stakes are inserted in the bed ofl earth D, Fig. 8, on the bench E, in which the plants are rooted, the stakes being usually made vertical, as shown and above stated, the upper ends of the row of stakes being connected by the string-wi re B and thefasteners. It, however, frequently occurs that on account of the slope of the glass roof of the greenhouse the stakes on the benches under the lowest part ot the roof have to stand in positions more or less inclined, as shown in Fig. 3. The rose or other plant is in every case trained along the stake, whether vertical or inclined, and it is essential in the work that the distance from the ground to the string-Wire measured along the stakes be about uniform to give to the plant the necessary head-room forgrowth. On account of this short stakes cannot be advantageously employed where the roof is low, and the stakes of ordinary length must necessarily be inclined, as shown in Fig. 3. With these rows of inclined stakes the string-wire B is necessarily nearer the grou nd than Where the stakes are vertical, but it is horizontal, as with the Vertical stakes,the distance obliquely along the stakes through which the plants are trained remaining the saine.

The form of fastener shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 6 is for use with the stakes when inclined, the only difference in the construction being that the part c is made slightly longer and sometimes formed with a backtu rned part or hook d at the extreme end, as shown, to constitute a stop orlcatch for the Wire B to aid at times in controllingr said wire.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The fastener for wire-supports herein described, consisting of a'strip of spring-wire formed near one end with a transverse loop and near the other end Vith a rounded end constituting an open loop to engage the stake, said fastener having two substantially parallel straight portions of different lengths, the shorter portion being extended along the longer portion and having its terminal intermediate said loops and its free end bent out of the plane of the longer portion and terminating in a backturned hook to form a stop for the string-wire all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 4th day of March, 1902, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

. BYRON S. BLAKE. Witnesses:

ENos B. WHITMORE, MINNIE SMITH. 

